Sony’s Morbius Trick Failed, So Why Expect It to Work for Kraven?

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Summary

  • Sony’s constant teases of MCU crossover in Sony Spiderverse movies haven’t paid off, with poor box office results.
  • Kraven the Hunter leans heavily on Marvel crossover hinting, suggesting Sony lacks confidence in the movie’s standalone appeal.
  • Sony’s Spiderverse should focus on succeeding by itself instead of relying on MCU crossovers that never come to fruition.

As a seasoned cinephile who has seen more movie disappointments than blockbusters, I must say that Sony’s latest tactic with their Spiderverse films is starting to feel like a broken record. It’s as if they’re dangling a carrot of a Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover in front of us, only to snatch it away at the last minute and leave us feeling let down.

With “Kraven the Hunter” now playing in cinemas, there’s a buzz of anticipation among both regular moviegoers and film industry analysts as they ponder whether Sony has once again manipulated expectations or finally delivered on their frequent promises. Fortunately, it seems that this is the last time Sony can leverage its tenuous connections to Marvel to potentially inflate ticket sales, as it’s unlikely that the Kraven film will be enough to draw crowds, even with notable stars like Russell Crowe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ariana Debose in the cast.

To begin with, Sony’s strategy for films like Morbius has become a familiar tactic and often sparks temporary excitement among viewers. Given that these movies are connected to Marvel, it’s reasonable to assume that this approach might eventually deliver something enjoyable. However, after multiple attempts, one would expect the strategy to yield success at some point. Regrettably, this didn’t happen with Morbius, as its box office performance was dismal. The same tactic was employed for Venom, but it didn’t produce the desired results there either. So, what makes anyone think that Kraven the Hunter will be any different? Statistically speaking, the chances seem slim.

Kraven the Hunter Tease Is Played Out

Essentially, Sony’s strategy in nearly every Spider-Verse film is to subtly suggest a connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man movies. This was previously done through trailer hints or casting news, but now they are being more direct about it. For instance, during the promotion of Kraven, actor Aaron Taylor Johnson hinted at potential conflicts with Spider-Man, making it seem like a real possibility.

In this tale, we’ve developed a deeply complex character who undoubtedly possesses the potential for further destructive actions. I believe it would be intriguing to see him confront various well-known superheroes.

It seems that this scenario, hinted at through brief appearances of Michael Keaton’s Vulture in trailers for Morbius, turned out to be a non-event. The suggestion was that the antagonist from Spider-Man: Homecoming might make an appearance in the Sony Spiderverse, potentially indicating a visit by Spider-Man himself. However, there was no such crossover, not in Morbius itself, nor in any subsequent Sony-Marvel film. Instead, it appears that Morbius remained within its own universe, without crossing over into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Kraven the Hunter
Screenplay Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway
Director J. C. Chandor
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, Russell Crowe

Later on, they attempted to incorporate this in the Venom movies. There were subtle indications of a potential crossover through the multiverse, hinted at in mid-credit and post-credit sequences, as well as a suggestion at the start of Venom: The Last Dance. However, just like before, there was no concrete fulfillment of this promise. Eddie Brock does indeed visit New York City at the end of the film, but there’s no sign of Spider-Man, either Peter Parker or his alter ego. Once again, the anticipation and the prospect of a crossover disappointingly fall flat.

Sony Spiderverse Should Stand On Its Own

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that what’s most perplexing about this stunt is the hint it gives of Sony’s overconfidence mask in regards to these films. Yet, it’s evident that their confidence might be misplaced, given the ongoing chatter about the impending conclusion of Spider-Verse. This leads me to wonder, why have they greenlit numerous projects that have unfortunately underperformed?

It’s quite plausible to suggest that one of the issues the Sony cinematic universe has faced is due to its tendency to hint at events that ultimately don’t materialize in their films. If the Spider-Verse were given more autonomy, focusing solely on Marvel villains and heroes connected to Spider-Man, it might have been more effective.

It’s quite intriguing that Sony’s Miles Morales Spider-Verse films have garnered such wide popularity. One might ponder why they didn’t opt for a Miles Morales Spider-Man universe instead of the Peter Parker one years ago, or simply let characters like Morbius take the lead roles. Their strategy seems puzzling, and it’s even more confusing when they keep hinting at possibilities that likely won’t materialize just to attract a few more cinema-goers. The verdict is still pending on whether Kraven the Hunter was successful in this regard, but it appears to be another misstep in their lineup.

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2024-12-15 19:44